I am traveling to London (for the first time) this coming week 9/13-18. I was thinking of bringing my bike and getting in some miles, but I am a bit intimidated as I have never been here.
I took a look at some of the other threads on here about this, and it seems like the move is to take some form of transportation out of the city to ride. I came across some routes on dirtywknd (now the site is broken?) and I was thinking of riding in the Surrey area, maybe incorporating Box Hill.
Are the trains bike friendly or is there another way to get out of the city? I am staying in Westminster.
I’d love to just join a group ride or another person to show me around if anyone is up for it.
Alternatively, any good spin studios or gyms with decent bikes? Hoping to avoid a fitness drop off while traveling.
Richmond Park is nice. There are other nice parks and if you have Strava then the heatmap will give you some ideas.
It might depend on how comfortable you are with city riding ?
Westminster is just about the busiest place to be although there are quite a few cycle lanes.
I would suggest heading south towards Box Hill if you want to tick off an Olympic route, or over to Hampton Court. Certainly possible to catch the train to get closer. If you have longer legs then heading out to Windsor is a nice destination.
I commute through Westminster out toward Kingston (through Richmond Park), it’s an OK ride but if you’re not familiar with city riding jump on a fast train to Surbiton/Esher/Guilford and find routes from there (it can still be busy!). From here, many clubs will have routes toward places like Box Hill, e.g. Routes – Kingston Wheelers or Routes | Forge London CC
If you use Waterloo for trains, SWR (South Western Railway) trains are no-booking needed, with exception of peak which is no bikes. If the train goes beyond Zone 6, you’ll want to buy a ticket (vs a railcard or using contactless/Oyster)
Most clubs in the SW are large and have joining pathways but you could contact a few and explain the situation. You could try dropping clubs like Forge a message https://forgelondon.cc/
Alternative ideas,
pay to ride on the Lee Valley Crit circuit. Bike hire also available.
do a taster session are the original (and outdoor) Olympic velodrome.
I should add, Westminster is really well connected via dedicated and often segregated bike lanes. A bike is a great way to explore the city, grab a street side hire bike or for a more British experience.. find a Brompton locker.